Speed Racer 2
by MelNichols18
Summary: So, what if Racer X had decided no more lies? What if he approached the Racer family as Rex? What happened to the Racer family after the Prix? Did Speed and Trixie get more serious or break up?


Speed's heartbeat was pounding in his ears, the adrenaline was still flowing, and all he could think about was the fact that he had just won the 91st annual Grand Prix of the WRL. He was still in shock, he could barely register the flash of the reporters cameras or the cacophony of journalists clamoring for attention, dulled by the cheers of the fans in the stands. All he was aware of was being surrounded by his family. Trixie was tucked under his left arm, his mother, father and Sparky were over his right shoulder, and Spritle was in front of them, lifting the trophy into the air then down and kissed it then pushed it back up, Chim Chim the chimpanzee was on Spritle's right, pointing and grinning at his favorite brother Spritle. And Speed could almost swear that he felt Rex's spirit behind him, a hand on his shoulder as the ghost beamed with pride.

Speed Racer had won the Grand Prix, and, in the process, had hopefully brought Royalton Inc and Cruncher Block to justice for the death of Rex as well as game fixing and other crimes, bringing the honor back to the Racer family name.

For Speed, everything was right.

Meanwhile, Racer X, previously known as Rex Racer, watched from the VIP lounge as the Racer family celebrated. ON his left was Silvia, his girlfriend, and to his right, walking away, was Chief Detector of the CIB. X let old memories surface as he looked at his family, one particular memory surfacing. He remembered racing with young Speed at Thunderhead and teaching him about driving, not steering. And then another memory arose, the memory also featuring Speed at Thunderhead, but the lesson this time was about not driving because of a love for driving, but because one is driven. X smiled, seeing how far his brother had come, seeing him as not a boy, but as a man standing up for what was right. Rex had tried to do the same thing, but he had left home to do it himself, and he'd failed.

_You walk out that door, you'd better not ever come back._

X shuttered as ice was poured down the back of his neck and spine, yanking him out of his warm memories. With cold clarity, X remembered that he was Racer X, the Harbinger of Boom, and the Rex Racer was dead.

Sighing, he turned away from the window, struggling to push his memories to the back of his mind where they belonged.

"We should go, Silvia." He muttered softly. Silvia only nodded. She had known him for three years, having also been in the plastic surgery recovery wing of the hospital where he waited to be discharged. She knew everything about him, and she knew who he was by blood. So, she knew that he fighting his memories again, fighting to keep himself separate from the family he loved so deeply that he tried to protect them from the nasty rumors circulating around him by faking his death and changing his face and name.

Dutifully, she held his hand as they left for the VIP parking lot, the scorned son struggling to remain Racer X instead of the young child wishing to return home.

Back on Victory Lane, the adrenaline was burning itself out and Speed began to slow his speech as his vision blurred and his energy drained rapidly. Discreetly, he held on to the only one in the family strong enough to support him, his father. His mother, being the doting and knowing mother she always was, realized something was wrong and held his other hand in support an encouragement. Security came between Speed and the reporters like a solid wall of muscle, arms outstretched to the side to form a solid wall of muscle the physically moved to widen the distance between the two bodies.

"Easy there, son. You'll be alright." Pops said in his deep voice as he readjusted his hold on his son to carry his weight. Trixie was on Speed's other side, having taken his hand back from his mother. "Let's go home, Speed." She said and he readily and happily nodded. He shook his head vigorously, fighting off the adrenaline. He couldn't fall asleep here! He still had to help put the Mach 6 in the trailer.

"Here, Speed." Sparky came up beside Speed, offering the milk that was given to every winner of the Grand Prix. Speed had taken his swallow of milk before, then, as he had promised, handed the bottle to Sparky to share in the victory. Now, it was Speed's best chance of staying awake long enough to make it to the Mach 6. He happily took the milk and drank like his life depended on it. The cold as like a bolt of electricity. It felt like it froze his lungs and throat, but some degree of strength returned to his limbs. He pulled away from his father as he continued to drink, eventually emptying the bottle. Sparky took it back and Speed redoubled his efforts to walk on his own, putting the same mindless determination that he had used to win the race now into walking upright and without support.

Through stubborn determination, Speed made it down to where the newest car was still sitting on the red and white checkers, the Mach 6. Built in thirty-two hours, the Mach 6 was the newest version of the previous Mach 5. She was more powerful but just as sleek and agile as the familiar Mach 5, with a matching body and dimensions. The only thing that separated the two cars was the Bernoulli convergenator, which gave the Mach 6 more power and "kick" than its predecessor.

Now dormant, the family could take in the Mach 6's condition.

"Wow." Spritle muttered, and Chim Chim agreed with a wide grin and nod.

"Holy cow, Speed. Look, the tires are melted." Sparky pointed at all four tires, which had indeed melted away from the car and onto the red and white checkers as melted rubber.

"Cool beans." Trixie muttered and Speed grinned and chuckled. Trixie loved seeing a car at its lowest during its life and then helping to build it back to glory.

Besides the melted tires, the car had suffered some serious damage. The body in front and on the side was heavily scratched, the paint was stripped away. Also, the fried triple-phase conductor needed to be replaced, in addition to the many scratches and other repair work that needed to be done. But to Speed, she was the most beautiful car in the world and he was looking forward to many more races with her.

"Well, guess we'd better get started." Pops said, breaking the reverie. "Sparky, go get the trailer would you? I'll see what I can do about the conductor so we won't have to put her in fifth."

Sparky nodded and raced off while Speed walked to the driver's side and pushed one of the buttons. Immediately, all four tires reinflated with back up spares. "That'll make loading easier." He grinned as he sat on the door.


End file.
